Jade, a highly prized precious stone, is believed by some to eventually become a part of the life of its owner, and changes its hue according to the aura of its possessor. Confucius remarked that jade “struck, gives a clear note, long drawn out, dying...
Jade, a highly prized precious stone, is believed by some to eventually become a part of the life of its owner, and changes its hue according to the aura of its possessor. Confucius remarked that jade “struck, gives a clear note, long drawn out, dying gradually away and suggesting music ... it gains our confidence, suggesting truth”. Like the qualities of the precious stone, The Jade Diary’s music can draw in the listener to its simple beauty and honesty, the songs becoming a reflection of their hidden emotions.
The Jade Diary is an Australian band with an evolving pop-rock sound infused with lush melodies and insistent, soul-searching lyrics. It all began, in an idyllic but isolated city called Perth, when Cheryl Lim decided to form a band called Opus Red alongside Renee Sherlock and others, playing unique covers from Summertime to Sweet Home Alabama. It was fun while it lasted, but after Opus Red disbanded, the passion that Cheryl had for creating music never went away. Many songs and Kleenexes later, she decided that she would give it another go - but this time, it was not going to be another serious hobby. This time, it would mean plunging into a business well known for wannabes and near misses. A crazy idea, but it had to work. So she enlisted the help of Renee, keyboardist and songwriter, and together in November 2006, they started The Jade Diary.
The band consists of Renee Sherlock on keyboard, Joshua O’Keefe as lead guitarist, John Hallion as Bass Guitarist, Aylwin Lim as drummer and Cheryl Lim as lead vocalist.
2008 is a significant year for The Jade Diary and has seen the recording of the band’s debut EP, “Landscape of Dreams”. From the surreal realms of the subconscious mind to professions of undying love, the EP is an infectious and eclectic fusion of pop, folk and rock. The songs ambitiously feature themes of melancholy, joy, desire, loneliness, and of course love. Expertly produced by Rob Agostini who has worked with Blanche Dubois, and mastered by Steve Scanlon (Kate Ceberano and Diesel), the songs have been fleshed out with breathtaking harmonies and arrangements featuring ambient keyboards and guitars. As one listener said, “what's notable about The Jade Diary is their truth, honesty and raw emotion that channels through each song, and what I find is their greatest strength is that the tracks all provide an insight into the deepest emotions and feelings so many will experience in their life.”
Innocent romance-seeking themes in the music combined with darker, meditative and alluring elements, fused with pop-rock sensibilities results in a heady mix of whimsy and earthiness, which is where The Jade Diary sits, somewhere in the transition between the two.
